Central Prealps

Engelberg

Sat 6 Dec Sunrise 08:56 17:37 Overcast

Hard-to-read day. Persistent or gliding-snow problems can mask the real risk.

Day Risk Profile

Moderate
All day

Avalanche Problems

Dry snow level 2 Wind slab + Persistent weak layers dry All day
N, NE, E, SE, W, NW
above 2000m
As a consequence of a strong westerly wind, wind slabs will form from late morning at elevated altitudes. These are rather small but prone to triggering. They are to be avoided in steep terrain. Additionally in very isolated cases avalanches can be released in the old snowpack and reach dangerously large size. This applies in particular on little-used, rather lightly snow-covered shady slopes above approximately 2400 m. Meticulous route selection is advisable.

Snowpack & Weather

Snowpack

On shady slopes above approximately 2400 m and in the high Alpine regions in general, there are faceted weak layers deep in the old snowpack. In the west, these are heavily overlaid and therefore only triggered occasionally. In the other regions, they are closer to the surface. However, the overlying layers have since undergone a structural transformation and have become softer. For this reason, only isolated fractures have been reported here as well.

In many places, there is some loose fresh snow lying on the surface from the last 3 days and some surface hoar (hoar frost). These will be transported on Saturday during the course of the day.

Weather review for Friday

During the night, a little snow fell above approximately 900 m. During the day, it became quite sunny in the south and generally in the high Alpine regions; elsewhere it remained mostly cloudy.

Fresh snow

10 cm in some localities in Grisons, less elsewhere

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -4 °C in the north and -2 °C in the south

Wind

Light to moderate from northerly directions

Weather forecast to Saturday

In the south, on the Main Alpine Ridge and in Grisons it will be quite sunny, while elsewhere it will be mostly cloudy but mainly dry.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +1 °C

Wind

There will be a westerly wind that will be:

  • Mostly light overnight
  • Increasingly strong during the day in the north and in the high alpine regions of Valais
Outlook until Monday

It will be very cloudy and precipitation will fall during the night. The snowfall level will rise from 1500 m to 2300 m. In the north and Valais, 20 to 40 cm of snow will fall at high altitudes, and up to 50 cm will fall from the Bernese Oberland to central Switzerland. Less snow will fall in Grisons and it will remain dry in the far south. There will be a westerly wind, which will be strong in the north but moderate elsewhere. On Monday, it will be sunny and mild and the wind will ease.

On Sunday, the danger of dry avalanches will increase at high altitudes. Below approximately 2300 m, the danger of wet and gliding avalanches will increase with the rain. In the west and north, danger level 3 (considerable) will be reached in many places over the course of Sunday. On Monday, the avalanche danger will decrease below approximately 2300 m, but will not change significantly at higher altitudes.

Issued

5 Dec 15:22 UTC

Valid until

6 Dec 16:00 UTC

Next update

6 Dec 16:00 UTC

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